More than two thirds of gamers want to play games in their own language

Research conducted by NewZoo for Partnertrans reveals the potential value of localized game content

Recent research conducted by NewZoo for the internationally renowned localization agency Partnertrans reveals the tremendous opportunities for publishers and developers to increase revenue by localizing their games for foreign markets.

The figures show that the percentage of people paying for games ranges from 40 to 60%, depending on the country, so it has become increasingly important to effectively reach the people who are willing to pay to play!

The results also indicate that 59% of paying German MMO gamers (2.2 million) and 58% of German gamers on social network sites (1.8 million) expect German language content. This means that nearly two thirds of paying gamers feel it is important that their game is localized. The numbers for mobile, console and PC games as well as casual sites are even higher.

“Players in Germany are not the only ones looking for localized content,” says Partnertrans co-founder, Iris Ludolf, “If you look at new markets like Mexico, Brazil and Russia, you may be surprised to learn that among paying gamers 58% in Mexico, 76% in Brazil and 81% in Russia expect localized games.”

But this only the tip of the iceberg; generally, people who spend money on games are slightly more sensitive to localization compared to the overall population: 69% across all countries. However, when studying specific age groups and platforms, the differences are even more striking.

Please contact Partnertrans if you would like to discuss whether your localization investment will be advantageous depending on the target country, target group, platform and genre.